Daddy's Little Girl
by Erin T. Aardvark
Summary: Follow Up to "Father Daughter Dance." Sophia has difficulty deciding whether or not to make amends with her estranged father. Rated T as a precaution.
1. Shocking News

* * *

_AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a follow up to "Father-Daughter Dance." I go a little in depth with Cyril's childhood, mostly from what I've seen from various episodes, mostly "The Family Secret." In any case, just a little note to say I'm taking some leeway with it, as I don't know too many of the great details, but that's the beauty of fanfic. Also putting in the Author's Note so I don't get bombarded with questions like "Is this canon?" or like that there._

* * *

It was a beautiful summer day in the Evergreen Forest. Perfect for a swim in Evergreen Lake, which was what the Raccoons and their friends were doing. Bert's pen pal from California, Reggie Drake, had come to visit for the summer, and immediately, Bert came up with the idea of a "Lake Party," which is the equivalent of a pool party when you don't have a pool.

"Hey, guys!" Bert called from the top of a tree branch. "Check this out! Bert Raccoon! Olympic diving champion! CANNONBALL!"

Bert jumped off the tree branch, curled himself into a ball, and splashed into the lake, and splashing everything within a two mile radius.

"Hey!" Lisa, who was sitting on the shoreline soaking up the sun, shouted, as she was doused. "Bert, watch it!"

"Show off," Ralph said, rolling his eyes.

"BANZAAAAAIIII!" Reggie shouted, jumping from the same tree branch. Since he was taller than Bert, he made somewhat of a bigger splash. Lisa growled at him.

"Can't a girl work on her tan without getting wet?" she asked. She picked up her chair, and moved it farther back from the lake, so she wouldn't get wet again. The others just laughed.

"Come on, Lisa, don't be such a stick in the mud!" Bentley shouted. Then he climbed up the tree, and jumped off the branch.

"Yahoo!" he shouted, as he splashed down.

"I still don't see why you couldn't have had this party at the mansion," Lloyd said to Cedric. "You know we have a pool."

"I know," Cedric said. "But the lake is bigger for one thing."

"And Cedric's dad is still sore at me for the hockey puck through his window," Reggie commented. "Even if it _was_ ten years ago. I don't think he'd appreciate me on the premises."

"Yeah, Pop sure knows how to hold a grudge," Cedric replied.

"Besides, guys, the lake is more fun!" Bert shouted.

"Come on in, you guys!" Ralph said, splashing at the Pigs. "The water's fine!"

The others began to prod the Pigs into joining in until they finally gave in. They climbed up the tree, but they didn't stop at the branch Bert, Reggie, and Bentley jumped from. They went to the very top.

"Now for a perfect swine dive!" Lloyd shouted. Then he jumped. "Geronimo!"

"Sitting bull!" Floyd yelled as he jumped.

"Pocahontas," Boyd said, jumping himself.

"Look out!" Melissa shouted.

Everyone moved, just as the Pigs hit the water. Unfortunately, their swine dives were less than perfect. They ended up diving in the shallow end of the lake. Their heads were buried under the water while the rest of them were perfectly upright. The others just laughed.

"Now _that's_ what I call a stick in the mud!" Lisa shouted, laughing.

The others started cracking up as well, at least until Cyril drove up to the lake. He didn't look too happy.

"Party's over," he said, then turned to Cedric and Sophia. "I need you back at the house now!"

"Aw, come on, Pop!" Cedric shouted. "Can't I go through the books later?"

"This has nothing to do with you or the books, Cedric," Cyril said. "Sofa Girl, your mother's at the mansion. She needs to talk to you pronto."

"Mom here?" Sophia asked, climbing out of the lake. "She'd never just drop by like this. She would call first."

"She said something's come up and she couldn't tell you over the phone," Cyril said. "She wouldn't tell me what it was, though. All she told me was that she needed to talk to you right away."

Sophia toweled off and followed Cyril to his car. She wasn't quite sure what was going on, but she could tell it was bad news. She just hoped it had nothing to do with her mother, or her sisters.

Cyril and Sophia reached the mansion shortly after leaving the lake. Sophia practically raced inside to the living room, where her mother, Loretta, was sitting on the couch. When she ran into the room, Loretta stood up.

"Mom, what's going on?" Sophia said. "Mr. Sneer said you needed to talk to me right away. What's wrong? Are Myrna and Stephanie all right?"

"Yes, yes, Sophie, they're fine," Loretta said. "Actually . . . . oohh, how do I put this? I know you're a bit sensitive on the subject, Sophie, especially after the last time we came to visit but . . . ."

"Just spit it out already," Cyril grumbled. Sophia and Loretta both shot him a dirty look.

"Mr. Sneer is not known for his compassion," Sophia said. "But, Mom, he does have a point here. What's going on?"

"I might as well just say it," Loretta sighed. "Let me tell you, this is not easy, Sophie. I got a call from your father's brother yesterday."

"Uncle David?" Sophia asked.

"Yes," Loretta said. "And actually, he called about your father."

"I can't wait to hear this," Cyril said, somewhat sarcastically, but the curiosity was getting the better of him.

"Your father moved in with David a couple of days ago," Loretta said. "Believe it or not, nobody from either side of the family has seen, or heard from Nathan in fifteen years. Not since the night he left."

"I believe it," Sophia said, rolling her eyes. She still hadn't forgiven her father for that one, and she probably never would.

"Well, David got a call from Nathan's doctor," Loretta went on. Then she took a deep breath. "Your father is suffering from severe liver damage."

"I'm not surprised," Sophia said. "I mean, he's an alcoholic after all."

"I know, dear, I know," Loretta said. "And . . . . I talked to him this morning on the phone, and he told me that it's terminal, and David confirmed it. Your father's asked to see you girls before it's too late. He wants to make amends."

"He wants to make amends?" Sophia repeated. She looked at her mother as if she were crazy. "Mother! Are you out of your mind?! He walked out on us fifteen years ago, and he wants to make amends _now_?! After what he did to us?! How can he expect us to forgive him just like that?! After what he put us through?!"

"Sophia . . . ." Loretta started.

"No!" Sophia shouted. "Never! I'll never make amends with that man! I never want to see him again! I hate him!"

And with that, Sophia ran from the room in tears. Cyril and Loretta looked at each other, but didn't say one word. Finally, Cyril cleared his throat.

"I noticed she's uneasy about the subject of her father," he said.

"Oh, you're not kidding," Loretta sighed. "This is not the first time she's said she's hated her father. She's had the most difficulty with her emotions when it concerns Nathan, that's for sure. Myrna and Stephanie . . . . well, they were upset when Nathan left, and they eventually got over it, and I thought Sophia had as well."

"Well, if I may interject, I think we should give her some time to cool off before bringing up the subject again."

Loretta agreed, and left the mansion. As she left, Cedric and the Pigs returned from the lake.

"What's going on, Pop?" Cedric asked.

"A lot," Cyril admitted. "If you want the details, you're going to have to bring it up with Sofa Girl. But I wouldn't recommend doing it now. She's a bit upset."

"That bad, huh?"

"It concerns her father."

"Oh yeah, it's that bad," Lloyd commented. "Should we reinforce your liquor cabinet, sir?"

"That won't be necessary," Cyril said. Then he changed the subject. "Come on, boys, let's hit the books."


	2. Decisions, Decisions

Two hours later, Sophia came down the stairs and walked into Cyril's office. Cedric was going through the books while Cyril was going through the business section of the newspaper. Sophia could tell they were busy, so she started to leave without saying a word.

"Freeze!" Cyril shouted, not even looking up from the paper.

"How does your father do that?" Sophia asked Cedric.

"It's a parent thing," Cedric said with a shrug. Cyril put the paper down, stood up, and approached his daughter-in-law.

"I assume you want to tell Cedric whats going on," he said.

"Well . . . .yes," Sophia admitted. "But if he's busy then . . . ."

"Don't bother putting it off," Cyril said. "Believe me, if you put it off for too long, it'll be too late. I've learned that the hard way."

"All right," Sophia sighed. Then she turned to Cedric. "Cedric, my mother was here a couple of hours ago. She had some news that she didn't want to talk to me over the phone about."

"What's wrong, Sophia?" Cedric asked. Sophia didn't know how Cedric always seemed to know when something was upsetting her, but she was thankful he knew.

"My . . . . father moved in with my uncle a couple of days ago," Sophia said. "Mom talked to him on the phone the other day, and . . . . well, my father is . . . . he's . . . . I can't say it!"

"Her father has a damaged liver, and it's terminal," Cyril said, coming to the point. "Too many years of drinking will do that."

"Oh, gee, Sophia," Cedric said, suddenly at a slight loss of words.

"There's more," Sophia said. "Mom also said my father wants to make amends with us. All of us. Me, Mom, Myrna, and Stephanie."

"Oh, well, that's . . . . uhhh . . . ." Cedric said, trying to think of what to say. He could tell Sophia didn't think it was very wonderful.

"She's not going to do it," Cyril said.

"Well . . . . why should I?" Sophia asked, suddenly becoming angry. "How can I forgive a man who did nothing but drink and abuse me for ten years?! And my older sister for thirteen years?! And my younger sister for five years?! And my mother for fifteen years?! And then not even bother to have any contact with _any_one for fifteen more years?! No! I can't forgive that man! I'll never forgive him! Not for what he's done to us!"

Sophia then stormed out of the office. Cyril sat back down at his desk, and picked up the newspaper.

"She'll get over it," he said.

"I hope you're right, Pop," Cedric replied.

A week went by. Sophia eventually told the Raccoons what was going on. She was talking to Melissa, Nicole, and Lisa about it one day. She figured she could use a little "Girl Talk."

"I just don't know if I can actually bring myself to go see him," she said.

"Well, after what you told us about him, I don't blame you," Melissa said. "I'm not sure I'd be ready to forgive him, either."

"Right on, sister!" Lisa shouted. "If I were in your shoes, Sophia, I'd never want to see that low down, good for nothing, rotten, dirty, son of a . . . . ."

"Lisa . . . . ." Nicole said, glaring at her daughter before she could finish that sentence.

"Sorry, Mom," Lisa said. "I got caught up in the moment."

"I'm sure zis is not an easy decision, Sophia," Nicole said. "But I can't help but sink zat maybe you _might_ want to see him? Maybe it's time you _did_ make amends wiz your father."

"Well . . . ." Sophia said, a little hesitantly.

"Just hear me out before you say anysing," Nicole said. "It _is_ possible that your father really _has_ repented. It happens. I know you said you're not sure if he was telling your mother zee truth, but it _is _possible."

"Who's side are you on, Mom?" Lisa asked.

"Nobody's, really," Nicole said. "I'm just trying to see both sides of zee situation."

"That's a good point," Melissa said. "Maybe we should at least _try_ to put ourselves in your father's shoes, Sophia. I mean now. Not what happened fifteen or so years ago."

"Right," Sophia said. "Well, let's see . . . . all I know is what Mom told me. My father moved in with my uncle, and then my father talked to my mother, she said he said his liver was failing, and he wanted to make amends with me and my sisters. And Mom, to an extent. But . . . . well, I'm not sure sure about this."

"Well, it's your decision in the long run, Sophia," Melissa said. "Just let me give you some advice. Don't do it because you feel like you have to. If you're not ready to reconcile with your father, then you shouldn't."

Sophia nodded, and left. She wanted to get some more advice on this. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do about her father anymore. She went to the Raccoondominium next. Ralph, Bert, George, and Reggie were tuning up an old motorcycle that had belonged to Reggie's father. Reggie had found it in his grandfather's garage.

"Hi guys," she said.

"Hi, Sophia," Ralph said.

"Check out these wheels!" Bert shouted. "Reggie found this baby in Dr. Canard's garage and we're tuning it up! Wanna be the first passenger?"

"Ummm, no thanks, Bert," Sophia said. "Actually, I just came by to talk to you guys. I . . . . need some advice."

"Sure," Ralph said. "What's on your mind?"

"Well, remember that Father-Daughter Dance of Lady Baden-Baden's?" Sophia asked.

"Heh, how could we forget?" Bert asked.

"Why? What happened?" Reggie asked. "All I know about that one was Mom came up here for it. She said she had a great time. She didn't mention anything else about it."

"Well, it's kind of a long story," Ralph said. "And it kind of resulting in a bit of a . . . . . personal crisis for Sophia, let's say."

"Oh," Reggie said. "Well, since I have nothing to do with this, I'll go back to the bike."

"So what's going on?" Ralph asked, as Reggie went back to work on the bike.

"It's like this," Sophia said, and she explained everything to the boys.

"I just don't know what to do," she said once she finished. "Nicole thinks I should go see him, Lisa thinks I shouldn't, Melissa said it was my decision . . . . . and I don't know if I can actually go through with it . . . . I'm just so mixed up!"

"There's a newsflash," Bert muttered under his breath. Both Ralph and George elbowed him in the ribs as hard as they could.

"If I may say something," Reggie said, standing up from behind the bike. "I agree with Melissa. You're the one who has to make the decision, you know."

"I know," Sophia said. "But I need some advice."

"Well, if it were me," Bert said, I'd do it. I'd go up to your father, and punch him in the nose!"

"Bert . . . ." Ralph warned.

"Yeah, if my father did to me what your father did to you," Bert said, pumping his fists in a mock fight. "I'd give him a right! And a left! And another right! And another left, and . . . ."

Bert swung, and ended up hitting Reggie right in the face. Reggie was knocked off balance and fell to the ground on his rear end.

"Oops," Bert said, sheepishly. "Uhhh . . . . sorry about that, Reg. You okay?"

"Medic!" Reggie shouted.

"Listen, Sophia," George said. "Don't pay any attention to Bert. I think what you should do is think about this a little more."

"Yeah, you can't rush into a decision like this," Ralph said.

"I guess maybe you guys are right," Sophia sighed. "Thanks."

And with that, Sophia started back towards Sneer mansion. Once she left, Reggie stood up and brushed himself off.

"Bert, seriously, those hands of yours should be considered as registered weapons!" he shouted.

Bert just shrugged.


	3. The Sneer Family Secret

Sophia returned to the mansion, trying to decide whether or not she should actually go and make peace with her father. The minute she came through the door, Lloyd ran over to her.

"Good timing," he said. "One of your sisters is on the phone. She just came back from your uncle's."

"Oh, thanks," Sophia said, and she followed Lloyd into Cyril's office. Cyril was talking to someone on the phone.

"I don't know where she is," he said. "You might have to call back later and . . . . oh, never mind, here she is now. Just don't take too long."

"I won't," Sophia said, taking the phone from Cyril. "Hello?"

"Hey, Sis," Sophia's younger sister, Stephanie, said. "What's happenin'?"

"I hear you were over at Uncle David's," Sophia said.

"Yeah, I went to see Dad," Stephanie said. "He doesn't look too good, that's all I can tell you."

"How was it?"

"Okay, I guess. We talked for awhile, I brought up why he didn't make any attempt of reconciliation before now, he said he didn't have the guts to. My words, not his, by the way."

"Did he say why he decided to do it now?"

"Yeah, he said he wanted to make peace with the three of us before it was too late. Myrna went to see him a couple of days ago. Dad was pretty civil. There was no name calling, no insults, nothing like that. He wanted to know when you planned on going over there to see him."

"Oh . . . . uhhh, well . . . . see, Steph, I, uhh . . . ."

"You _are_ going to see him, aren't you?"

"Well . . . . I don't know yet, see . . . ."

"Oh good grief, Sophia! Let it go already! I think if Dad wants to make amends, you should at least give him the benefit of a doubt! I mean, sheesh, this could be our last chance!"

"Steph, I just don't know if I can actually bring myself to do it. I mean . . . ."

"Look, Dad's making a conscious effort to make up, the least you can do is go see him!"

"Stephanie, I'm just not sure if I'm ready to . . . . ."

"It's been fifteen years, for Pete's sake! Myrna thinks it's time you let go, already!"

"Steph, I don't understand how you and Myrna can be so willing to forgive and forget, especially after what he put us through."

"And I don't understand how you can be so stubborn and selfish!"

Before Sophia could say anything else, she heard a click, and then the dial tone. Cyril and Lloyd just looked at Sophia as she put the phone back. She saw them staring at her, and sighed.

"She hung up on me," she said. "My own little sister hung up on me. She thinks I'm being selfish because I won't see my father. She and Myrna have already been over there, and so has my mother."

"That's not selfishness," Lloyd said. "If you want to see selfishness, then you should see the boss when it concerns money!"

"And if you want to see your next birthday, then you should shut up and clear out!" Cyril shouted.

"Yeep!" Lloyd yelled, and raced from the room. Once he was gone, Sophia turned to Cyril.

"Do you think I'm being selfish?" she asked.

"No," Cyril said. "I think you need a little more time to think this over."

Sophia nodded, and left the office. Once she was gone, Cyril pulled a lever in the wall, which opened up a secret door. He walked through it, went down a tunnel, and into a secret part of the mansion. He pulled some papers out from a wall safe, folded them, and began to return to his office.

"Time to let Sofa Girl in on the ol' family secret," he said. "Provided Cedric hasn't already."

Cyril found Cedric in the vault, going over the books. Forest was sitting next to him, coloring with his crayons, and Cedric was holding Evelyn on his lap.

"Cedric, have you ever told Sofa Girl about the family secret?" Cyril asked, coming into the room, and sitting down. Forest immediately abandoned his crayons and climbed onto his grandfather's lap.

"No, Pop," Cedric said, looking up. "Why?"

"Just wondering," Cyril replied, with a nod.

"Family secret?" Forest asked. "Is that like what Auntie Lisa writes about in her diary? I asked her about that, and she said what she wrote in there is supposed to be secret."

"Let's just say that there is a secret in the Sneer family, concerning me," Cyril said. "I'll tell you and your sister about it sometime when you're older."

Cyril reached across the table and handed Forest his paper and crayons, and then he and Cedric got to work.

Later that evening, Sophia was putting Evelyn to bed, and thinking about whether or not to go and make peace with her father. She was weighing all the factors together, but she still couldn't make a decision on this. Just as she was about to put Evelyn in her crib, Cedric came into the room.

"Hi, Sophia," he said. "Pop's looking for you. He says he wants to talk to you privately."

"That's kind of strange for your father, isn't it?" Sophia asked. Cyril almost never wanted to have any sort of private conversation with her.

"Actually, that's what I said to him when he told me," Cedric said. "But he said it was important."

"Well, all right, I guess. Is he in his office?"

"Yeah. I'll put the baby to bed, Sophia. Pop wants to see you as soon as possible."

Sophia sighed, gave Evelyn a kiss, and handed her to Cedric. Then she started for Cyril's office. She found him at his desk, going through some papers. Though the door was open, she knocked anyway.

"Cedric said you wanted to talk to me, Mr. Sneer," she said.

"I did," Cyril said, putting the paper down. "Come in, close the door, and sit down."

Sophia closed the door, and sat down by Cyril's desk. Cyril put out his cigar, and picked up his papers again. Then he began to pace around the room for a moment.

"I want you to see something," he said. "Just read through that."

Sophia took the papers from Cyril and began to look through them. She went over the papers about three times, and then looked up at Cyril.

"Go on," he prodded. "Say something."

"Does Cedric know about this?" Sophia said. It was all she could think of to say.

"Yes, I told him I was adopted awhile back," Cyril said. "I had planned on keeping this a secret, but since it's come up, I figured I might as well tell you."

"I'm not sure I get the connection here, Mr. Sneer."

"I'd better take it from the top. Like I said, I was adopted when I was around Evelyn's age or so. I never really knew about it, though. My parents didn't tell me about it. When I was seven years old, my parents and my brother and I moved into this mansion. While I was packing things up, I ran across the adoption papers."

"Is that when you evicted them?"

"Yes, actually. But I eventually let them move back in. My parents never told me about my birthparents, because they didn't know them. Apparently, I had been dropped off on the Sneer's doorstep. When I was in my teens, I found out about my birth mother. Her name was Antoinette Aardvark, and she was a friend of my uncle's wife's brother-in-law's cousin's sister's next door neighbor or something . . . . in other words she knew the family vaguely. And I never found out who my birth father was. Apparently, my real mother didn't know, either. To this day, I still don't know. Anyway, my mother came to me and told me that my birth mother was in the hospital, on her death bed no less, and she wanted to see me before she . . . . well . . . ."

Cyril sort of waved his hand in a circle. He wasn't exactly sure how to put this, but Sophia nodded. She knew what he meant.

"I get the idea," she said. "Did you go see her?"

"No," Cyril replied. "I was furious with her for just dumping me on someone's doorstep, and then not bothering to try and make contact for years afterward. She kept calling, and I kept refusing. As far as I was concerned, Antoinette Aardvark was just some crazy dame who just happened to give birth to me, but I never considered her to be my real mother. I never got the chance to make peace with my birth mother. She died about a week after she first contacted me. Or tried to. And I have regretted that decision ever since."

Sophia sat there silently for several moments. She didn't quite know what to say.

"I'm not telling you what to do about your father," Cyril went on. "You have to make that decision for yourself. But let me tell you a little something here. You have a chance to make peace with your father, I had a chance back then to make peace with my birth mother. I threw away that chance because of my anger for what she did to me, and I've regretted it. I know you're angry at your father for something that happened fifteen years ago, but if you throw this chance away like I did, you'll regret it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon. And for the rest of your life."

"Have you been watching _Casablanca_ again?" Sophia asked. Cyril just shrugged.

"You just think about what I said," he replied.

Sophia nodded, got up, and left Cyril's office. Then she went upstairs to the bedroom she shared with Cedric. She had a lot of long and hard thinking to do.

The next morning, Sophia went into Cyril's vault, where Cyril and Cedric were working. Both of them stopped what they were doing when they found Sophia standing there.

"I assume you've thought about what I said last night?" Cyril asked.

"I did," Sophia said. "And I've made a decision."

"What's that?" Cedric asked. Sophia took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly.

"I'm going to do it," she said. "I'm going to go over to my uncle's, and talk to my father. But I'm not sure if I can face him alone."

"Do you want me to go with you?" Cedric asked. "I mean, if that's okay with you, Pop."

"Well . . . ." Cyril said, chewing on his cigar thoughtfully.

"Actually . . . ." Sophia began. "I was kind of wondering if you'd go with me, Mr. Sneer."

"_Me_?!" Cyril shouted, nearly swallowing his cigar. "Why me?!"

"Well, because you're the one who convinced me to do this," Sophia said. "Please, Mr. Sneer? I can't do this by myself."

"Oh all right," Cyril said, grudgingly. "I'll go with you. Cedric, you hold down the fort."

"Check, Pop," Cedric said. "Good luck, Sophia."

"Thanks," Sophia replied. "I think I'll need it!"


	4. Reconciliation

About an hour and a half later, Cyril and Sophia arrived at a house just outside of the Evergreen Forest. Sophia just stared at it as Cyril climbed out of the limo. Lloyd just drummed his hands on the steering wheel.

"Well, come on," Cyril said. "Let's get this show on the road, Sofa Girl."

Sophia nodded, and climbed out of the limo. Then she started chewing on her index fingernail, until Cyril grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away from her mouth.

"Knock that off!" he shouted. "If you start biting at your nails, you'll never stop, and then you'll waste my money on acrylics and manicures for the rest of your life!"

"Sorry," Sophia said, feebly. Then she began twirling a strand of hair around her finger. Cyril sighed. Then he turned to Lloyd.

"Wait here," he said.

"Should I leave the motor running?" Lloyd asked. "I don't think you'll be in there too long, sir. Ten to one, she'll chicken out before you get inside."

"No, she won't," Cyril said. "I'll see to that. And don't leave the car running, either! I don't want to get stranded on the road halfway back home!"

"Yes sir!" Lloyd shouted, and he sat back in the car to wait.

Cyril and Sophia walked up to the house and stopped at the stoop. Cyril was about to knock on the door, and then he turned to his daughter-in-law for a moment.

"Are you _sure_ you want to do this?" he asked. Sophia nodded.

"I'm sure," she said. Cyril nodded, and knocked on the door. A moment later, someone answered. It was an older aardvark, like Cyril, except his hair was more blue.

"Yes?" he asked. Sophia swallowed, and stepped forward.

"H-hi, Uncle David," she said.

"Sophia!" the aardvark, David Tutu, shouted, and he pulled his niece into a big hug. Sophia felt slightly relieved at the warm welcome, but she was still a little nervous.

"Come on in," David said, stepping back. "Who's that with you?"

"Oh, this is my father-in-law, Cyril Sneer," Sophia said. "Mr. Sneer, this is my uncle, David Tutu."

"Skip the formalities," Cyril said. "We're here on business."

"And I take it that business is my brother," David said.

"Darn right," Cyril said.

"Well, I'll go tell Nate you're here, Sophia," David said, leaving the room. "He's been wondering if you were going to come at all."

David left the room and went down the hall. Cyril sat down in a chair, and Sophia began pacing the room, wringing her hands nervously. It was driving Cyril crazy.

"Will you calm down already?" he asked. "You're starting to remind me of Cedric when Forest was born!"

"I know, I know," Sophia said. "But I haven't seen my father in fifteen years, and I'm kind of afraid of what he might do."

Cyril was about to respond when David came back into the room.

"Your father's anxious to see you, Sophia," he said.

"I hope you're right," Sophia said.

"I'll wait here," Cyril said. "If you run into any trouble, just scream."

Sophia nodded, and she followed her uncle down the hallway. Once they reached the end of the hall, David opened the door.

"Here she is, Nate," he said.

Nervously, Sophia walked into the room. She saw a middle-aged aardvark laying in bed. He was extremely thin, and pale. He had dark circles under his eyes, and his ears were drooping. She couldn't believe that this was her father. He sure didn't look like how she remembered him. Then again, it _had_ been fifteen years, and Nathan had probably spent those fifteen years drinking.

"Finally decided to come over, did you?" Nathan asked.

"Yes," Sophia replied, just standing in the doorway. David had already left, so Sophia was alone with her father, something she didn't particularly feel comfortable with.

"You can come a little closer," Nathan said. "I'm not contagious."

Sophia took a couple of steps forward, and stopped. Nathan sighed, and rolled his eyes.

"Come on, I promise I won't bite," he said. "Your mother and your sisters were already here, and they survived."

Sophia swallowed, and came closer. She sat down in a nearby chair, and faced her father. The silence was practically deafening. It was clear that neither of them knew what to say. Finally, Nathan got the ball rolling.

"So," he said. "How have you been?"

"Okay, I guess," Sophia said, with a shrug.

"Just okay? What, that Olympic medal isn't something exciting? Or the fact that you're married and have a couple of kids?"

"Umm, how did you know about all that?"

"The Olympic thing was all over the news, and your mother told me when she came in here."

Sophia just nodded, and things got quiet again. Neither she, nor Nathan, said anything. Finally, Sophia couldn't take the silence anymore.

"It's been fifteen years since we've seen you," she said. "Why wait so long? Why wait until now to want to see us? After what you've put us through?!"

"Loretta warned me about this," Nathan said. "Look, Sophia, I know I've made a lot of mistakes in my life. I know I was a rotten father, and I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?!" Sophia shouted, jumping to her feet. "You treated Mom, Myrna, Stephanie, and me like dirt for years, and all you can say is that you're sorry?! Do you honestly expect me to forgive you after what you've done to us?! For leaving and never coming back?! You walked out on us fifteen years ago, and then, suddenly, out of the blue, here you are, and all you can say is you're sorry?! How can you honestly _think_ I can forgive you for drinking all the time, hitting us, and then leaving us?!"

"Sophia, it was wrong, I know. And I _don't_ expect you to forgive me for what I've done to you, your mother, and your sisters. I've regretted every single decision I have ever made between fifteen years ago and now. I wanted to see you and your sisters now because the doctor said I don't have much time left, and I wanted to tell you and your mother and your sisters that I'm sorry for what I've done. Believe me, Sophia, if I could start over, I would."

Sophia wasn't sure what to say. She just sat down and sighed. Things were quiet for awhile, until Nathan spoke up again.

"Look," he said. "I want to explain something to you. A lot of the time, children learn from their parents. Your grandfather . . . . my father . . . . he and I were pretty much cut from the same cloth. He drank a lot, and he got violent when he drank. Though he never hit me, or David, but he always would hit my mother around. Though for the life of me, I don't know how my mother put up with it. She never fought back. I just figured that was the way to act, that it was all right to hit your wife around. Only your mother would talk back, and then, with you being girls . . . . I don't know, my father said that was the way to keep a woman in line. It's a cycle, Sophia. Do you understand?"

"I think so," Sophia said.

"I didn't know any better," Nathan sighed. "I know that doesn't excuse me for what I've done. But I hope it explains things to you."

"It does."

"I just wanted to see you and your mother and your sisters and apologize before it was too late. I'll understand if you don't forgive me. I wouldn't blame you. Heck, if I were you, I wouldn't forgive me, either."

Sophia nodded and stood up. She started towards the door, but stopped for a moment, and looked over at her father.

"I'll forgive you," she said. "I think it's time I let go of what happened, and accept it. I mean, I kept it all a secret for fifteen years, which really wasn't the way to handle it, and being angry over something that happened a long time ago, something that can't be changed . . . . . I just think it's time to forgive and forget."

"My thoughts exactly," Nathan said.

"Well, I'd better be going. It's a long way back home."

"Yeah. Well, thanks for dropping by, Sophia. Really, I'm glad you did. I'm glad we were able to talk this over."

"So am I. And . . . . you're welcome."

Sophia just couldn't bring herself to say anything more. She left the room, and went back to Cyril.

"So, how did it go?" Cyril asked.

"It went okay," Sophia said. "We had a talk, and everything's fine now. I said it was time to forgive and forget."

"Well, let's get back. You know I don't like to be kept away from the office for long."

"I know."

Cyril went out to the limo while Sophia said goodbye to her uncle. Then she followed Cyril outside, and the two of them got into the limo, and went back to the Evergreen Forest.

The End


End file.
